SWURPG Ability Scores & Proficiency Bonus

Ability Scores in SWURPG

Ability Scores are the foundation of your SWURPG character. Every attack, every Force power, every leap across a chasm, and every negotiation with a crime lord is influenced by one or more of these six core abilities. Understanding them is essential not just for character creation, but for maximizing your effectiveness in combat, exploration, investigation, and social encounters.

This guide explains how Ability Scores are generated, how modifiers work, how species influence your stats, and how your Proficiency Bonus ties into everything from blaster shots to Force powers.

What Ability Scores Do
Generating Ability Scores
Ability Score Roller Tool
Applying Species Modifiers
Ability Modifiers & Chart
Ability Score Examples
Proficiency Bonus Progression

What Ability Scores Actually Do

Every Ability Score influences key parts of gameplay in different ways. They determine:

Combat power — like melee accuracy (STR) or dodging blaster fire (DEX)
Skill effectiveness — such as Persuasion (CHA), Survival (WIS), or Use Computer (INT)
Saving throw performance — avoiding mind tricks, poison, explosions, or Force abilities
Force power potency — especially for classes using Wisdom
Your character’s identity — the stat line supports cinematic roleplay

Example: A Jedi Sentinel in Action
DEX determines their Defense. WIS determines their Force power accuracy. CHA influences how well they deceive stormtroopers during infiltration. A single stat point can change the outcome of the entire mission.

Generating Ability Scores

There are three official methods to generate Ability Scores in SWURPG. Each method supports different playstyles — cinematic randomness, controlled balance, or flexible customization.

Method 1 — Roll 4d6, Drop the Lowest

The classic RPG approach for players who enjoy emergent, swingy characters.

Roll 4d6.
Drop the lowest die.
Add the remaining three dice together.
Repeat this process until you have six scores.

Example Roll:
Dice: 6, 5, 3, 2 → Drop the 2 → Total = 14 A score of 14 gives a +2 modifier — strong for early levels.

Method 2 — Standard Array

For balanced play and quick setup, use the standard array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.

Assign each value to any ability. This keeps everyone roughly on the same power level while still allowing different priorities (e.g., a high Dexterity Marksman vs. a high Charisma Diplomat).

Method 3 — Point Buy (27 Points)

For players who want full control, SWURPG uses a 27-point buy system based on modern d20 design.

Start with 8 in each Ability Score.
You have 27 points to spend to raise those scores.
You cannot raise a score above 15 using point buy (before species bonuses).

Costs to increase a score are:

8 → 9: 1 point
9 → 10: 1 point (2 total)
10 → 11: 1 point (3 total)
11 → 12: 1 point (4 total)
12 → 13: 1 point (5 total)
13 → 14: 2 points (7 total)
14 → 15: 2 points (9 total)

Example Point Buy Spread:
Starting from all 8s, you build: STR 15, DEX 14, CON 13, INT 10, WIS 12, CHA 8. That uses exactly 27 points, and species bonuses are applied afterward.

Ability Score Roller Tool (4d6 Drop Lowest)

Want to generate a full set of Ability Scores instantly? Use this built-in roller to create six stats using the 4d6 drop lowest method. You can reroll as many times as your GM allows.

Click once to roll all six Ability Scores:

You can then apply species bonuses from the Species Index and proceed directly to the Character Creation rules.

Applying Species Modifiers

Your species affects your stats through biological, cultural, or evolutionary traits. Some species grant fixed bonuses (e.g., +2 Dexterity), while others offer flexible customization (e.g., +1 to any two abilities).

These modifiers create meaningful differentiation between characters before classes, traits, or Force powers enter the picture.

Example:
A Togruta gets +2 Dexterity and +1 Wisdom — ideal for agile Force users. A Trandoshan gains +2 Strength — perfect for melee specialists.

Visit the Species Index to see full stat details for each option.

Ability Modifiers

Every Ability Score converts into a numerical modifier using this formula:

Modifier Formula:
(Ability Score − 10) ÷ 2, rounded down

These modifiers influence almost every roll you make in SWURPG:

Attack rolls (melee, ranged, Force)
Saving throws
Skill checks
Class features
Force abilities

Ability Modifiers Chart

1 → −5 modifier

2–3 → −4 modifier

4–5 → −3 modifier

6–7 → −2 modifier

8–9 → −1 modifier

10–11 → +0 modifier

12–13 → +1 modifier

14–15 → +2 modifier

16–17 → +3 modifier

18–19 → +4 modifier

20–21 → +5 modifier

22–23 → +6 modifier

24–25 → +7 modifier

26–27 → +8 modifier

28–29 → +9 modifier

30 → +10 modifier

Ability Score Examples

Here’s how each ability score directly affects cinematic Star Wars gameplay:

Strength (STR): Physical force. Bursting open a sealed blast door, overpowering a stormtrooper, wrestling a Nexu.
Dexterity (DEX): Agility and reaction speed. Diving behind cover, piloting a starfighter through debris, firing a blaster quickly.
Constitution (CON): Durability and stamina. Resisting poison darts, pushing through exhaustion, surviving vacuum exposure longer.
Intelligence (INT): Logic and problem-solving. Decrypting Imperial codes, slicing a security terminal, recalling Clone Wars troop movements.
Wisdom (WIS): Awareness and intuition. Spotting an assassin in a crowd, resisting fear, sensing disturbances in the Force.
Charisma (CHA): Influence and presence. Negotiating with Hutts, leading Rebel soldiers, deceiving a patrol of troopers with confidence.

Proficiency Bonus

Your Proficiency Bonus represents your character’s experience and formal training. It applies everywhere you are considered trained, including:

Weapon attacks you’re proficient with
Saving throws granted by your class
Skills you are trained in
Many Force powers and class abilities

How Proficiency Bonus Scales

As your character levels up, their Proficiency Bonus increases at fixed tiers. This allows all characters—Jedi, Smugglers, Tech Specialists, Soldiers—to scale consistently.

Proficiency Bonus by Level

Level 1–4 → +2 bonus

Level 5–8 → +3 bonus

Level 9–12 → +4 bonus

Level 13–16 → +5 bonus

Level 17–20 → +6 bonus

Example: A Level 9 Jedi Consular
Gains +4 Proficiency Bonus, improving: • Lightsaber attacks • Use the Force checks • Wisdom saving throws • Trained skills like Insight or Persuasion A single tier increase dramatically improves performance across the entire character.

For more details on leveling and proficiency scaling, visit the Leveling Up Guide.